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Detection of Low Copy Number Integrated Viral DNA Formed by In Vitro Hepatitis B Infection
Published on: November 7, 2018
The role of HBV cccDNA in occult hepatitis B virus infection
Pei He1,2,3, Peixin Zhang3, Yaping Fang4
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) refers to the presence of replication-competent HBV DNA in the liver, with or without HBV DNA in the blood, in individuals who tested negative for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). In this peculiar phase of HBV infection, the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is in a low state of replication. Several advances have been made toward clarifying the mechanisms involved in such a suppression of viral activity, which seems to be mainly related to the host's immune control and epigenetic factors. Although the underlying mechanisms describing the genesis of OBI are not completely known, the presence of viral cccDNA, which remains in a low state of replication due to the host's strong immune suppression of HBV replication and gene expression, appears to be the causative factor. Through this review, we have provided an updated account on the role of HBV cccDNA in regulating OBI. We have comprehensively described the HBV cell cycle, cccDNA kinetics, current regulatory mechanisms, and the therapeutic methods of cccDNA in OBI-related diseases.
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